FLCC to Host Lecture on Seneca History, Culture
Canandaigua, N.Y. - Contrary to popular belief, wampum, the strands of polished beads used by Indians, is not money. It’s a mnemonic device that records important information and ideas.
So says Peter Jemison, a Seneca Indian and manager of the Ganondagan State Historic Site in Victor. He will give a talk on Seneca history and culture on Monday, Nov. 9, at 6 p.m. at Finger Lakes Community College. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held in Stage 13 on the second floor of the main campus at 3325 Marvin Sands Drive.
Another key topic for Jemison will be the Canandaigua Treaty of 1794 between the United States and the six nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. The treaty is commemorated every year on Nov. 11 at Council Rock, in the front yard of the Ontario County Court House.
Jemison will also bring artifacts, including wampum, to show visitors and take questions from the audience on historic and current topics, such as land claims.
In addition to managing Ganondagan, site of a 17th century Seneca village, Jemison is also an artist whose work has been widely shown for more than two decades. His paintings and drawings have shown in solo exhibitions at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo and at the Fenimore Art Museum in Cooperstown.
About FLCC:
Finger Lakes Community College (www.flcc.edu) is a State University of New York two-year higher education institution. FLCC’s 250-acre park-like campus is located in the heart of the Finger Lakes in Canandaigua, N.Y. The College offers more than 45 degree and certificate programs, including environmental conservation, ornamental horticulture, music recording technology, nursing, communications, graphic design and tourism management. FLCC’s current enrollment is 6,600 full- and part-time students.